This night was not exactly for the vegetarian, so it was fortunate that Mr. B attended and not me! Here's what he had to say:
What a fantastic opportunity. Players on Madison Avenue in Lakewood had a private fall menu and wine tasting. I was fortunate to attend, for the small price of $10 (which they returned to me in the form of a $10 gift certificate to use on my next visit). Players is one of those restaurants that easily becomes one of your favorites. Easy on-site parking, a great cozy modern atmosphere, and super-attentive staff make the visit worthwhile every time. Oh and then there is the outstanding food! Thanks to Gary Lucarelli and Chef Anthony Romano for a fabulous, tasty evening!
So the event was a walk about and mingle while enjoying what seemed to be an endless variety of fall menu samplings. There were several wine stations showcasing a selection of wines. The atmosphere was fun and we all felt like vultures when the next round of samples came out. In no particular order, these are some of the enjoyed items.
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Not just a piece, but a whole scallop perfectly cooked, perched on a corn fritter with a tomato coulis. This was one of my favorites. Just a touch of spice.
Roasted Chicken, Corn and Spinach Spring Rolls
Lightly crusted, loaded with chicken and almost delicate with an amazing heat from the sriracha thai dipping sauce.
Almond Encrusted Brie
Warm and delicious, served with a tasty apple-pear chutney.
A variety of thin crust pizzas circulated. All were fantastic. The classic Margherita, an earthy Roasted Portobello with chevre, and a fall flavor classic, Fried Butternut Squash with apples and sage.
Chicken Francais
Light and lemony with a distinct artichoke flavor.
From the wines, The Franciscan Cabernet was complex and bold, but a bit too dry for my tastes. Conundrum, a surprising white blend from California, was really fresh and crisp and easily my favorite of the evening. A Bourdeaux style red, Revelry “The Reveler” from Columbia Valley, Washington had that bold lush mouth feel that made it a favorite red.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Cleveland Garlic Festival
Garlic. If you love it like we do, then you had to go to The Cleveland Garlic Festival at The North Union Farmers Market September 10-11. The festival is in its second year and is located on Shaker Square. Despite a little rain, plenty of people were there. We roamed the tents on both sides, sampling lots of garlic goodness, and buying items that wowed us. There were also cooking demonstrations using, of course, GARLIC, as well as live music on two stages. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Sergio's Sarava's Garlic Shrimp: Sergio's really took the theme to heart and made a savory shrimp with big garlic flavor and presented it on a bed of garlic rice to boot! This one really hit the mark on celebrating garlic. Loved it!
- Most interesting – Garlic Ice Cream by Mitchell's: we had to try it... everyone should try it… it actually did work! As a side note, they also had the most unbelievable caramel and salt ice cream. Just go try it, your jaw will drop.
- Roasted Garlic Salsa from Blaze Gourmet (so big and flavorful - one of the best salsas out there, and it's local!)
- Garlic Expressions Salad Dressing (yep, it's local too - we've been buying this for years.)
- The Olive and the Grape's many Garlic Olive Oils, Cooking Oils, and spice packets. The spices they incorporate are not the basic stuff, these delightful blends are carefully scrutinized with a passion for the highest quality, healthiest ingredients from all over the world.
- Whole Foods' extremely pungent, spicy garlic hummus. That says it all. Whoa.
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